Joseph Biden, the Vice President of the United States of America, has done it again. Last Monday in Scranton, Pennsylvania, he was caught relishing (Hardball’s word) in what the American press has described as the most awkward and longest hug in the history of hugging.
The hug had lasted for all of 16 seconds – 15 seconds too long. VP Biden welcoming the Democratic Party candidate Hillary as she alighted from the aircraft, clasped her in a full-bodied, full-contact hug with his two hands going right under her arms and disappearing out of sight behind her back (side?).
With Mrs. Clinton captured in his grips, he began to speak softly to her face. Obviously carried away, he probably forgot it was only a hug and won’t let go. Even when the candidate gently touched his arms – a sign for him to untangle his grips – he missed the signal. In fact, he seemed to have clasped her even more tightly, sending the entire watching world abuzz. And was the world watching and buzzing in this quarter of a minute’s high drama?
What was VP Joe thinking you might ask? Well, the point may well be what was he not thinking? Biden is a gaffe-meister if Hardball may be allowed to coin that usage. And Bidenism is already a well established part of American political lexicon.
Time has a comprehensive compilation known as “Top 10 Joe Biden Gaffes” in which the journal noted that the Vice President has earned a reputation of often saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.
Let us run one or two examples. Speaking to a crowd of Turkish-American and Azerbaijan-American donors during the Obama campaign on April 27, 2012, Biden said: “I guess what I’m trying to say without boring you too long at breakfast – and you all look dull as hell, I might add. The dullest audience I have ever spoken to. Just sitting there staring at me. Pretend you like me!”
And you will love this one because it is verisimilitude of the infamous “my oga at the top” gaffe. Here: During an interview on CBS’ “Early Show,” February 25, 2009 in which Biden was to encourage viewers to visit a website that tracks stimulus spending, he had called out to an aide standing in the background saying: “You know, I’m embarrassed. Do you know the website number? I should have it in front of me and I don’t…”
There is indeed a long, rich glossary of Bidenism. And Biden’s ‘creepy’ mannerisms when he is with the opposite sex is also well documented. He has only raised his game with Monday’s episode with Hillary.
But before we crucify jolly Joe, Hardball has it on good scientific authority that hugging is extremely therapeutic for men (of course from a variety of female folks) and that the more hugs we get each day, the longer we may live! Hardball admonishes: hug by all means but don’t get ‘bindened’.